Joaquin Castro on Immigration

National Guard on Texas border is just a feel-good show

Q: [to Gov. Rick Perry]: The first wave of National Guard troops that you called up are now positioned [on the Mexico border]. Estimates it's going to cost over $12 million a month to have them there. One of your frequent critics, Rep. Joaquin Castro,
says there's no defined mission for these troops. He says, "Essentially, it appears to be a feel-good show of force without clear purpose." There had been questions about whether you would grant these individuals the ability to apprehend, to arrest.
What is their role?

PERRY: He needs to go to Willacy County where a border patrol agent was killed--shot down in cold blood by an individual who had been deported multiple times. I hope Mr. Castro or anybody else who's being critical of this thinks
that that's political. It's not. The citizens of Texas expect to be able to live in safety in their communities. Washington has failed at that. We're going to secure the border and do everything in our power to make sure our citizens are safe.

Vanguard of a new class of Latino leaders

Joaquin Castro, a second-generation Mexican American, is among the vanguard of a new class of Latino leaders emerging across the country. The Texas Tribune has called him a "rising star in his party," and more recently, Politico.com named Joaquin one of
the top 50 politicos to watch in the nation. Although Joaquin has established a distinguished legislative track record, his story shares the same humble origins that have come to define so many great stories about the pursuit of the American Dream.

Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.

Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?'

Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported.

Castro co-sponsored H.R.4646/S.2540

This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint or provide counsel at government expense to aliens in removal proceedings.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide an alien in removal proceedings with all relevant documents in its possession, unless the alien has knowingly waived the right to such documents.

DOJ may appoint or provide counsel to aliens in any INA proceeding.

DHS shall ensure that aliens have access to counsel inside all immigration detention and border facilities.

DOJ shall appoint counsel, at government expense if necessary, for an unaccompanied alien child or a particularly vulnerable individual.

DHS shall establish a pilot program to increase the court appearance rates of unaccompanied alien children and particularly vulnerable individuals by contracting with nongovernmental, community-based organizations to provide such aliens with case management services.